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How to make the most of your day at Florida’s Theme Parks

1. Decide what you want to do first

There’s loads to do at the Florida theme parks, and you want to do as much of it as possible, right?? RIGHT! What you DON’T want is to find yourself wandering around aimlessly, not knowing where to head next.

Before you get there, decide which rides and attractions you want to see most so you don’t miss out on the bits you like the look of!

2. Plan your day using the theme park maps

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the Florida parks are BIG. To make the most of your time, take a look at the park maps to plan your route around each park – and save you from walking miles to get back to an attraction you missed earlier.

3. Use online tools like My Disney Experience

Tools like My Disney Experience are an absolute godsend for planning your visits. This online space helps you plan everything you might want to do at Disney World Florida – and some things you didn’t even know about!

4. GET THERE EARLY

If you can, plan to arrive half an hour or more before the official park opening time. The queues will be shorter, you’ll have more time to spend in the park and less time waiting in the hot sun.

Staying on-site?

Guests staying on-site at Universal Orlando Resort get special early entry to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and unlimited Express Passes, so it’s well worth staying there even if just for one night.

If you’re staying on-site at Walt Disney World Resort, you can take advantage of their Extra Magic Hours: each day, one of the 4 Disney World theme parks opens an hour early or up to 2 hours after regular closing time

5. Start at the back

Think about what most people will do when they get into a theme park – head for the first exciting ride or attraction they see. But not you, savvy park-goer!

If you can get to the park early, it’s a good idea to start with the rides and attractions at the back of the park and work your way forward. This way you’ll be going against the flow, and should be able to avoid the worst of the crowds.

6. Go against the flow

When you first walk into the park you’ll usually notice that most people will head in a certain direction. Don’t ask me why; maybe it’s something to do with the moon. Try going against the flow (or even starting at the back of the park; see above) and in theory this should help to avoid the worst of the crowds.

7. Have a rain contingency plan

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not always sunny in Florida! There are often rain showers in the afternoons, even in the summer months. Make the most of the outdoor attractions while the sun has got his hat on, and save the indoor or under-cover attractions for last or for when rain threatens.

Disclaimer: These tips are to help you get the most out of your time at the parks, but I’m definitely not saying your every second in Florida needs to be planned with military precision. Obviously the main reason for going to Florida is because you want to have fun – so go forth and enjoy (with a little bit of forward planning)!